Hoisting apparatus and systems



March 20, 1962 J. VAN DIEPEN, JR

HOISTING APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS Filed July 9, 1959 JvI-I w mg Q n m mpm MM 5 U m 7 4F a 5 Y B 4 7 a mm u Filed July 9, 1959, Ser. No. 826,039 2 Claims. (Cl. 212-1) This invention relates to hoisting apparatus and systerns.

In the art of shipping, and the like, it has been conventional to load freight in holds of ships with freight of diiferent weights, usually in different locations in the holds. This may be considered as relatively light and relatively heavy. It will be understood that in the interest of speed and efiiciency the hoisting of the relatively light weight containers or articles can be accomplished with less power and with higher speeds, than can the relatively heavier articles. It has therefore been conventional in present shipping to place the heavier articles on and adjacent to the lower portions of the holds, with the lighter weight articles superimposed thereon. For purely illustrative instance, let it be assumed that the heavier articles or packages weigh 5000 lbs. per cargo unit, while the lighter articles weigh 1000 lbs. per cargo unit.

Each cargo ship has at least one boom, and usually a plurality of booms, pivoted on the upper deck adjacent each hold compartment. Depending upon which side of the vessel or ship lies against the pier or dock, the instant boom, adjacent to the pier, is disposed for lateral swinging between operative relation with the hold and operative relation with the pier, and is arranged for powered elevation or lowering on a horizontal pivot on the rotatable standard which mounts it and the power plant for the unit, on the deck. Power driven winches or drums are mounted on the boom-supporting unit, on horizontal axes. Each boom at its outer free end mounts a depending eye, or like hook, and slightly inward of the eye mounts a primary sheave or pulley on a horizontal axis on the boom. A cable passes about one of the power driven winches, and passes over the primary sheave and downwardly in a single whip hoisting organization. The free end of the cable is attached, by stevedores or the like, to the relatively lighter cargo units, either for placement in or removal from the hold. Each elevation of the cargo unit by the single Whip is accompanied by lateral swinging of the boom, and in some cases by powered vertical swinging of the boom. It will be seen that connection, and vertically straight line hoisting, with the single whip is facilitated by varying the angles the boom makes with the vessel, which changes the relation of the primary sheave to the given cargo area, either on the pier or in the hold. It will be seen that the single whip is of a relatively high speed, 1:1 hoisting ratio. It will also be seen that in the average instance this 1:1 ratio is only operative for relatively light weight cargo units with a given power input to the power driven drum, and that for comparatively heavy cargo units the ratio must be reduced.

One of the standard ratio-changing procedures is to attach the free end of the cable to the eye or like anchorage on the boom, and to form a loop in the cable, between the eye and the primary sheave. In the depending U-shaped loop of the cable a secondary sheave or States Patent ice pulley is suspended, mounting on its lower end a hook or eye for attachment to the heavier cargo units. In this case suitable powered movement of the cable, passing over the boom-mounted primary sheave or pulley, develops lift on the secondary pulley or sheave as the latter rotates, raising the heavier cargo unit. Of course this functioning reverses in lowering the heavier cargo units, as will be understood. In this case it will be seen that the hoisting ratio is 2:1, so that with consonant power the time required for elevating or lowering the heavier cargo units is twice that required to move the lighter cargo units. On the other hand, of course, heavier loads can be manipulated.

It is generally not feasible to over-power the driven drum in order to take care of widely divergent weights with a single whip, and the structure and procedure outlined above has become rather conventional. However, as presently organized and practiced, it is a highly expensive and inefiicient practice, as it requires a large outlay of non-productive stevedore time, and unduly prolongs the stand-by, demurrage, time of the vessel.

According to general past practices, as the loaded cargo ship leaves a harbor, and the hatches are or have been closed, all booms are lowered to positions generally parallel to the deck, and are secured against movement, in anticipation of rough weather. The cargo units are usually located in the holds with the heavier cargo units at the bottom and the lighter cargo units on the top. As the ship comes into a harbor for unloading at a given pier, at which it will pick up its group of stevedores, the hatch covers are removed, the instant boom is unfastened and elevated, and the free end of the single whip cable is lowered toward the uppermost cargo units. This is in preparation for stevedore activity relative to the lighter weight cargo units. These having been removed, in such due course as the facilities permit, the heavier cargo units having then been uncovered, and the single whip hoisting being inadequate to handle same, it is necessary to convert to the double-block system. This, as presently practiced requires that each instant boom 'be lowered, while the free end of the cable is attached to the boom eye, the U-shaped loop be formed in the cable, and the secondary sheave be mounted in the loop. The time for accomplishing this conversion is usually quite protracted and represents completely unproductive stevedore time, which unnecessarily adds to the labor costs of the cargo operation. As noted it also adds unnecessarily to the time the vessel is tied to the pier, and thus increases demurrage costs.

It is among the objects of this invention; to improve hoisting practices; to provide in association with a boom, mounting a primary sheave, and a normally latched double-block cable connection, providing single whip manipulation when desired, and requiring but mere transitory manipulation of a rope or cable to unlatch the doubleblock cable connection and lower same for attachment to the free end of the cable, succeeded by another transitory rope manipulation to relatch the connection to the boom for double-block hoisting; to provide a hoisting organization which can be changed from single whip hoisting to double-block hoisting in minimal time as contrasted with prior art practices; to provide a fixed coupling organization on a hoisting device, having an aperture, a cable-connected element passable through the aperture, and latch means mounted on the element normally preventing passage of the element through the apenture and responsive to cable actuation to permit such passage; to provide a cable-engaged unit attached to a hoisting element such as a boom, with releasable latching means for selectively, permitting lowering of said unit, and succeeding elevation of said unit and relatching same; and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this description:

FIG. 1 represents a diagrammatic elevation of an illustrative boom and its deck-mounting, in association with a fragmentary section of a ship hold, illustrating the single whip organization, with the double-block coupling device mounted on the boom, but out of operation.

FIG. 2 represents a similar view in which the connections establish a double-block hoisting organization utilizing the coupling device on the boom.

FIG. 3 represents a side elevation of the coupling device of the invention in its latched condition, suspended from an eye or hook at the free end of the boom.

FIG. 4 represents a transverse vertical section of the coupling device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 represents a position of the latch of the coupling device at which the movable unit can be lowered, in full lines, and showing in dotted lines the normal, gravitationally attained, attitude of the latch in position to engage the fixed unit to guidingly enforce latching, as established in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the ship 1.9 has an upper deck 11, a lower hold deck 12, and vertical webs or partitions 13-13, defining a hold or cargo compartment 14-, having a deck opening 15, normally covered by a hatch cover of the like (not shown). Adjacent to the opening 15 a rotatable standard 16 is disposed, mounting power winches (not shown), from which cables 17 and 18 respectively extend, about pulleys 20 and 21. For practical purposes these pulleys can be considered as power winches. A boom 22 is horizontally pivoted at 23 to the rotatable standard 16, and at its outer free end is provided with a depending hook or eye, 24 or the like. The power driven cable 18 passes about a standard-attached pulley or sheave 25, and is attached to the free end of the boom at 26. This cable is for effecting and controlling powered movements of the boom about axis 23. Powered cable 17, passes about a standard-attached pulley 27 and about boom-rnounted primary sheave 28. A coupling unit 30, to be described, is suspended from the eye 24, as a permanent attachment.

In FIG. 1 the cable 17 is organized as a singlewhip and its free end 31 illustratively organized as a clevis, is schematically indicated as attached by a hook 29 to a relatively light weight cargo unit 32. In FiG. 2, the free end clevis 31 of the cable 17 is shown attached to the coupling unit 30, on the outer end of the boom 22, and forming a loop, comprised of strands 17 and 17, within which a secondary pulley or sheave 33 is disposed. This is schematically indicated as attached to a heavier cargo unit 34 by a hook 29'. This establishes a double-block hoisting system.

In the expeditious conversion from the single whip to the double-block system, the coupling unit plays a most important part. This will now be described, with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

The coupling unit 30 comprises a strong, yoke-like, frame 35, having an upper eye, or hook-engaging portion 36, formed by the mergence of parallel vertical legs 37 and 38. At the lower ends legs 37 and 38 are rigidly secured to a transverse anchor plate 40, having a vertical axial generally centered, aperture 43. between legs 37 and 3S. Toward the upper end of the yoke-frame a transverse pulley-plate 42, is rigidly mounted on the legs 37 and 38, in general parallelism with the anchor plate 40. The pulley plate rigidly mounts a depending 4, pulley 43 toward one side thereof, and preferably in such disposition that a cable or rope 44, passing about the pulley 43, passes laterally between the legs 37 and 38, on one side of the pulley and on the other side of the pulley is tangent to the pulley 43 in general alignment with the axis of aperture 41 in the anchor plate 40.

A relatively elongated heavy rod 45 is provided for attachment, at 46, to the rope or cable 44, passing over the pulley 43. Rod 45 is of such diameter or width as to be vertically slidable in and downwardly through the aperture 41 of anchor plate 49. Preferably the rod at its lower end mounts a welded cxcrescence (not shown) to prevent it from elevation through aperture 41 in anchor plate 40, appreciably beyond the relative positions of the parts indicated in FIG. 5, at which the latch member to be described, can swing freely. Rod 45 at its lower end has a reduced planar section 47, having a transverse aperture 48. The reduced planar section 47 is suitably formed as to receive the clevis 31 connection on the free end of cable 17, as anchored by a removable connecting bolt 51, passing through the clevis and the aperture 48.

The rod 45 is diametrically longitudinally slotted, as at 52. A latch element 53 is mounted in the slot 52 and is pivotally connected to the rod by an axle 54 extending diametrically across the rod slot 52 and through the latch element 53. The latch element 53 is of special construction and weight distribution relative to the pivot 54 and the outer periphery of the rod 45. The connection of the axle and latch is preferably such as to be corrosion resistant, as are all the pivotal connections of the various sheaves or pulleys.

With reference to the vertical longitudinal axis of the latch 53, the latch is peripherally asymmetrical in shaping. An essential characteristic is a forwardly laterally and downwardly projected toe 55, leading into the main latch body on the lower side edge by the curved camming surface 56, merging rcarwardly in convexity 69 into a generally flat edge surface 57. Longitudinally vertically of the latch the mergent convex edge 69 is above the toe 55, and in vertical axial projection the toe 55 and the mergent edge 69 are transversely spaced apart a distance wider than the aperture 41 in the plate 40. On the upper surface the toe 55 leads through a concave camming surface 58 into an edge surface 60', generally parallel to the edge surface 57. The surface edges 57 and 60 are connected by a generally arcuate camming surface 59. Parallel edge surfaces 57 and 60' are of such spacing as to pass readily through aperture 41 when aligned therewith. By suitable weight distribution, as by selective weight removal at transverse slots 61 and 62, the latch element 53 has its center of gravity below and rcarwardly behind the axis of pivot of axle 54 on the side opposite to the toe 55. Preferably the displacement of the center of gravity from the axle axis is relatively small. Preferably the center of gravity is offset from the axis to a degree such that when the rod 45 is suitably elevated and the latch is at rest, the toe 55 thereof projects out of the slot 52 and overlies the plate 40, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. In this attitude it will be understood that lowering of the rod 45, under the control of the cable 44, establishes sliding camming engagement of the lower curved surface 56 of the latch against the plate 49, swinging the latch on its axle 54, until the flat edge 57 engages the upper surface of the plate 40, to solidly and immovably engage the latch with the anchor plate, and thus to lock the rod relative to the anchor plate 40. This lock maintains whether the rod and coupling assembly 30 is dangling or swinging freely from the end of the boom, on hook 24 during the single whip utilization thereof, or whether the lower end of the rod is anchored to and under the tension of the cable 17' in the double-boom hoisting organization.

The rod is anchored in thecoupling device 3% by the latch 53, during the manipulations of the boom incident to the single whip hoisting. At this time the slack has been taken out of the cable or rope '44 and the outer free end thereof may be suitably connected to the boom or the like. This is until such time as it is desired to establish the double-block hoisting organization. For purely illustrative cable mounting the rope or cable 44 may be passed through one or a series of guides *60 on the boom 22, to anchored termination in a manually rotatable drum 61 toward the foot of the boom. The drum 61 is adjustable to just take up and hold the slack in the cable when the rod 45 is anchored in the coupling device 30, with the latch 53 transverse of the slot -2 and abutting the anchor plate 40. This is the condition maintained during all manipulations of the boom during the single whip hoisting thereof. As the end of the boom has various vibrational movements during this interval, any suitable means will be provided to prevent the latch from bouncing through the slot in the wrong direction. Generally this comprises a welded slug or the like in the slot 52 in a portion of the path of the latch in its movement about the axle 54 (not shown). Preferably the latch is restricted to about 90 of oscillation.

it will be seen that during the single whip hoisting organization of the components, the coupling device 30 on the end of the boom, finds the rod 45 extending partially out of the lower end of the coupling device through the aperture 41 of the anchoring plate 40 thereof, and anchored therein by pressure through the anchor pin 54 and the latch 53, and the abutment of the planar edge 57 against the anchor plate. In this disposition the center of gravity of the latch has been rotated and elevated above its normal pendular relation by the forced swinging of the latch about the axis 54. When it is desired to shift from the single whip to the double-block hoisting organization, for illustrative purposes it may be assumed that the single whip cable has been lowered into the hold, after the last of the light weight cargo units 32 have been removed from the hold. Assumedly at this juncture there is an operative in the hold, for removing the cable-attachedelement 31 from the hook element 29, and attaching it to the lower end 47 of the rod 45, when the latter is conveniently accessible in the hold. The same operative is available for attaching pulley 33 to the loop formed by strands 17 and 17 of the cable 17.

By manipulation of the drum 61, or otherwise of the free outer end of the rope or cable 44, with the parts as shown in FIG. 1, manual tension is applied to the cable 44, which, cable passing over pulley 43, elevates the rod 45 in the frame. The elevation of the rod raises the axis 54 of the latch, and moves the latch vertically out of contact with the anchor plate 40. As soon as the rod 45 is raised high enough for clearance, the latch moves downwardly, because of the location of its center of gravity relative to the axis, and starts a pendular oscillation. At the inception thereof the latch moves on its axis '54 in a swing from a position in which the toe 55 is disposed inside of the confines of slot 52, and a position outside of said slot. It is quite simple for the operator to gauge the position of the toe within or at least not extending over the plate 40 to drop the rod 45, by suitable control of rope or cable 44. The dropping is synchronous with the position of the toe 55 in relation to the rod '45 as to permit the toe to pass downwardly through the aperture 41.

The toe 55 moves downwardly a distance determined by the thickness of anchor plate 40, until it is in a position to clear the lower surface thereof when swung in the proper direction about the axle, 54. As the downward movement continues, under the manual control of the rope or cable 44, the opposite edge of the latch, at or adjacent to juncture point 69, engages the edge of aperture 41 and cams the latch toward the toe. But as the latter and concave camming surface 58 have already passed beyond the aperture, this merely oscillates the latch on its axis and lines up the parallel side edges '57 and 60 to pass through the aperture 41. At this attained point the weighted rod 45 is supported solely by the tension on rope or cable 44. The weighted rod is therefore free to drop away from the coupling device 30 and into the hold in the general area of the operator. The weighted rod 45 comes. to rest in the hold, and the situation then is that the rope or cable passes about the pulley 43 and extends downwardly through the apenture 41, with the weighted rod or component 45 in generally vertically spaced relation to the coupling unit 30, in the hold. It is a quick maneuver for the operator to detach the clevis or the like 3 1 from the hook 29, and to attach same to the lower end 47 of the then adjacent rod 45. It is also a quick maneuver for the operator to lodge the secondary pulley 33 in the loop of cable 17 It remains only to have the operator haul up on the free end of the rope or cable 44, passing about the pulley 43, to have the camming end surface 59 of the weighted rod axially approach the aperture 41 in the plate 40. If, incidental to wobble of the latch on its axle, the arcuate surface 59 is slightly out of registry with such aperture, impingement of the surface 59 of the rising latch against an edge of the aperture 41 will cam the latch into such position that the edges 57 and 60 align with the aperture 41 to pass upwardly therethrough. In this upward movement the mergent point 69 also passes therethrough, whereas the concave surface 58 impinges against the edge of the aperture 41, camming the latch rearwardly of the toe about the axis in axle 54. This camming action brings the toe 55 radially inward of the slot 52 until it, too, passes the edge of aperture 41 with upward motion of the weighted rod 45. A suitable stop (not shown) prevents upward motion of the weighted rod '45 above that position in which the latch can swing freely on its pivot. Owing to the pendular motion imparted to the latch 53 in its upward passage through the aperture 41 in the anchor plate 4t incident to reaction of the concave camming surface 58 from the edge of the aperture 41, with the latch elevated it oscillates about the axle '54. At any time, either at rest or in pendular movement that the toe 55 extends out of the slot 52 overlying the anchor plate 40, reversed manipulation of the rope or cable 44, permitting the rod to drop, forces the latch into the position shown in FIG. 4, by reaction of the arcuate camming surface 56 from the surface of anchor plate. The described latching of the rod 45 in the coupling unit is established and maintained any time the force on the rod 45 forces the edge surface 57 of the latch against the anchor plate 40, whether the force be purely gravitational as in FIG. 1, or whether gravitational plus dynamic force from the cable 17 or 17 in the double-block organization of the hoisting system.

It will be understood that the invention is applicable to any type of hoisting, whether by traveling or other cranes or the like and is not necessarily restricted to use on ships.

The advantages of the invention will be manifest.

I claim as my invention:

1. A double-block hoisting component for mounting on a hoisting support comprising a device including an upper hook element, an anchor plate mounted on the device below and in spaced relation to the hook element, said anchor plate having a guide surface for the guided passage of a rod element, a pulley mounted on the device above the anchor plate, a rod element, cable means passing over the pulley and engaging said rod element and controlling movement of said rod element relative to said guide surface, gravity controlled latch means mounted on said rod element and selectively anchoring said rod and said anchor plate and releasing said rod element for movement out of contact with said anchor plate, in which said rod is slotted, and the gravity-controlled latch means comprises a latch element mounted in said slot on a pivot transverse of the slot, said latch element having a downwardly and laterally extending toe, said latch element having a center of gravity below said pivot so F9 5 that in free suspension said toe extends outwardly of said slot to overlie said anchor plate.

2. A double-block hoisting component as in claim 1, in which said latch element has a substantially flat edge for engagement with said anchoring plate merging through a. convex arcuate surface into a lower carnrning surface leading into the toe on its lower end, said toe having an arcuate tip merging into the lower camming surface and leading into a concave upper camrning surface, with said toe being below and laterally ofiset from said convex arcuate surface.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hebendahl Mar. 22, 1910 Persson Apr. 9, 1940 Lustig Jan. 21, 1941 Montooth Apr. 17, 1956 Halstead Oct. 18, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 24, 1947 

